Say the word “sharks” in front of a grown-up, and nine times out of 10 they will begin humming the tune from the movie Jaws. Sharks have an unfair reputation in the grown-up world, but authors and illustrators know better. Which is why here are three books about this awesome creature that you can read and then roll your eyes at the ignoramuses around you.
Smiley Shark by Ruth Galloway (Little Tiger Press)
Smiley Shark lives far away in a deep rolling ocean — he’s smiley and sunny, friendly and funny, and big and toothy! But there’s a problem, no one wants to play with him. The moment he comes smiling with the toothiest of his teeth, the fish swim away faster than you can say Finding Nemo! But then even big, scary teeth can be useful at times.
A wonderful picture book about making friends and not taking people at face value.
Ages 3+
Dive by Rajiv Eipe (Pratham Books StoryWeaver)
Plunge into this gorgeous underwater picture book by Rajiv Eipe. Swim along the denizens of the underwater world, including a school of Yellowback Fusiliers, a very spiney Lionfish, and a couple of Whitetip Reef Sharks. The illustrations are beautiful; you will feel like you’re right there, taking a dive with some of the most wonderful species.
And the best part is you can read this e-book in 10 languages, including Tamil, Kannada, and Hindi. Begin reading here.
Ages 6+
The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey (Scholastic)
Meet Mr Shark. Everyone thinks he’s a bad guy, even though he wears a suit. But all he wants to be is a good guy. And that is why he gets together with a wolf, a snake, and a piranha to form The Good Guys Club. But does that help? Not a bit. So off they go on various missions — from rescuing puppies from a horrid puppy mill to freeing hens from a terrible battery-cages farm.
The comic chapter book series is a riotous read, but it also reminds us that just because someone looks scary, it doesn’t mean that they are all bad. Appearances can be deceptive.
Ages 8+
Bonus reading:
Humane Society International, India (HSI) has worked closely with the Ministry of Forest & Climate Change to bring in the 'shark fin attached' policy. The ban has made shark finning illegal. Following the ban, HSI worked closely with Air India and Jet Airways to persuade them to discontinue the shipment of shark fins. Jet Airways, as a result of HSI's corporate advocacy, has become the trailblazer of introducing a ban on shark fins as cargo.
In collaboration with BAM Books, an Instagram-led project that highlights diverse books for children and young adults.
Why Must We Protect Our Oceans? - Siddharth Chakravarty tell us why we must care about what happens under the water.
Guest Editor Diaries: Of Sharks And Tuskers - Eight-year-old Guest Editor Vivaan Anand assigns stories to the NiF team.
When I Met A Wild Tusker - Eight-year-old Guest Editor Vivaan Anand tells us about his Corbett adventure.
The Sharks In Our Oceans - Umeed Mistry on his diving adventures with these beautiful creatures.
Check out more stories on our Young Tusks page.
